The cost of building a new driveway depends on a lot of factors. From the area to be built, up to the material used, and many other things have to be considered. Scroll down to get a fair idea of how much you would have to spend, depending on the material you will be using for the project.
You have planned to make a driveway for your home. But, before you start, you will have to plan the financial aspect of the project. So, how do you do it? Well, it is simple. The new driveway cost basically depends on how big you want your yard to be, and what material you are going to use. These are the fundamentals for constructing a driveway. There are a few other aspects too. The details regarding the material and estimates, are going to be dealt within the text to come.
Expenditure Depending on the Material
As mentioned earlier, the material and labor you use are the two major factors in determining the cost.
Cobblestone, Bricks, or Pavers
Bricks, pavers, or even cobblestone looks awesome and graceful, but it comes with a hefty price tag. Moreover, it is extremely time-consuming, which is one of the reasons for it being expensive. Imagine, you need to have 6,000 pieces and each of them costs around USD 3. So the amount needed just for the material would be USD 18,000, sans the design and the color of the piece. If it is intricately designed and richly colored, the price goes up even further. Plus, the labor charges and other costs have to be calculated. Bricks and pavers though, are cheaper than their cobblestone counterparts. They can cost ranging from 50 cents to even USD 3, not to include the varieties. So, all in all, the price range for a square foot may easily be between USD10 and USD60. The durability though, after you pay such a sum, is worth it. 12 x 50 feet cobblestone driveway can cost anywhere between USD 6,000 – USD 30,000 or more.
Concrete
Concrete is the best, if you are looking for endurance and durability. This is a cheaper option as compared with the ones above. It costs between USD 3 and USD 10 for a square foot. Sealing, as it is prone to cracks, and washing it twice or thrice a year, is just what a concrete driveway needs. It is not as time-consuming as the cobblestone or brick variants, hence the charges are less. Typically USD 3,000 – USD 12,000 is the price for a 12 x 50- foot concrete driveway.
Stone
Stone driveways, perhaps may not be a very good option, but it is surely an option if you are looking for a cheap option with a lot of maintenance. This is a little crude and the stones have a tendency to move and be unstable, which makes maintenance mandatory. However, if it is applied on a good solid gravel base, not more than 2 to 4 inches in depth. it might be less of a maintenance nightmare. This costs around USD 1 or USD 2, going up till USD 4 to USD 5 per square feet. A border or an edge is also required. The price can go drastically down, while constructing a stone driveway , but the constant maintenance might make it so, that the money you saved will be spent anyway!
Asphalt
When you need to balance class, durability, and cost you cannot ignore asphalt. Nowadays, most house-owners opt for this type. It is durable, easy to maintain, and doesn’t make a huge dent in your pockets. The best part is that black asphalt can be applied over concrete or applied again over an existing layer of asphalt. However, it would act as the base and might crack, if the layer below is cracked. It costs around USD 1 to USD 6 per square foot. So, this would cost anywhere around USD 600 – USD 3,000 for a 12 x 50-feet driveway.
There are other variations in asphalt and concrete, which also are major determinants of the price. Gravel driveways are even cheaper than the asphalt ones. Apart from this material, which will come in later, you need to decide the measurements and allied costs, like tearing off an earlier driveway and other oddities, which might come along.
Eventually, just make sure that the contractor is giving you what you want, and cross check all the heads under the estimate. This will keep you on the right track. All the best.